Orange County officials on Monday warned residents to be cautious as rental property scams continue to spread across social media platforms.
In a Facebook post, the Placentia Police Department shared guidance for people searching for rentals, including steps to help avoid fraud and what to do if they believe they have been targeted.
The department said it is seeing “a sharp rise in rental property scams on social media platforms, including Facebook Marketplace, TikTok, and Instagram.” According to police, scammers are copying photos and descriptions from legitimate real estate listings — including homes currently for sale or posted on the MLS — then reposting them as low-priced rental homes in an effort to steal money from prospective tenants.
Police urged renters not to send money until they, or someone they trust, have physically toured the inside of the property. They also advised searching the property address online and checking whether the home is actually listed for sale on reputable real estate websites such as Zillow or Realtor.com, especially if it appears under a different agent’s name.
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Investigators also pointed to several warning signs that may indicate a rental scam, including prices that seem far below market value and so-called landlords who demand a deposit or upfront fee before allowing anyone to see the property in person.
The warning comes after residents in Northern California recently exposed rental listing scams circulating on TikTok.
In one East Bay case, a resident said he became suspicious when a stranger approached him near the house next door and asked whether “anyone lives here.”
The resident notified his neighbor, who then learned that his home had been fraudulently advertised online as an $800-a-month rental.
If people end up being victims, they are encouraged to contact their banks to freeze funds and to file a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission.
Placentia police also urged victims to report the listing to the platform of where they found it and to file a police report by contacting 714-993-8164.
